INDIANAPOLIS – Erik Perez may still prove to be the future of the UFC’s bantamweight division, but Takeya Mizugaki proved to be a little too much for the Mexican prospect.

The bantamweight bout was part of today’s UFC Fight Night 27 event at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. It aired on FOX Sports 1 following prelims on FOX Sports 2 and Facebook.

The action started early in the first round, with a leaping left from Mizugaki getting the action underway. Both fighters were willing to trade hands early, and Perez tried to mix in a few flying knee from Perez. Unfortunately for him, Mizugaki times the counter well, and Perez walked into a right.

Perez scored points with a takedown, but Mizugaki scrambled up and answered with his own takedown late in the round.

The fighters started the second a little more cautiously, but it didn’t take log before the were trading in the pocket yet again. Mizugaki seemed to get the best of the exchanges, defending takedowns well and staying a little more technical in the flurries. Perez looked to load up on kicks and knees, but Mizugaki beat him to the trigger, lacing straight right hands down the middle.

With the fight seemingly in the balance in the third frame, the two again were willing to trade. As Perez thought takedown, it was Mizugaki who instead locked the bod and took the action to the floor. From there, he moved around to the back and locked in a rear=naked choke that looked as if it would end the fight. Perez somehow survived and tried to launch a counter attack when he returned to his feet, but Mizugaki slowed things down enough to hang on for the win, which he was awarded by split decision.

“I felt that people were pushing Perez,” Mizugaki said after the fight. “I wanted to stop this guy because he had so much momentum coming in. After I survived some of his big shots in the first round, I knew I had the advantage.”

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